Blurb: Senator A.C. McFerren has been missing for more than six months. The obvious prime suspect in his disappearance is the homegrown terrorist group known as the Army of Social Justice.

Searching for her kidnapped father leads Brenna McFerren Jefferson to the terrorists’ elusive “Death of Government” headquarters, known as The Doghouse. But nosing around where the federal government won’t investigate puts a target on her family and sets in motion a rebellion she isn’t prepared to lead.

Dreams of liberty cause the Senator’s daughter to disguise herself for undercover recon, recruit a high-ranking defector, and partner with a subversive news agency that combats government propaganda. As Brenna’s strength and family ties are tested, she unites a political party that commands the power to transform the United States.

My Thoughts: I chose to review this book on a whim. It falls outside of my usual scope of books that I read, so my expectations going into the book were undecided. It sounded interesting from the blurb, and the author pitched it well. She categorized it as Women’s Fiction, but it certainly doesn’t hold appeal only toward women. In fact, I’d argue that categorizing it as such might cost readers who would thoroughly enjoy reading this book just like I did.

This is a book that starts off with a heavy dose of intrigue, and that is a thread that is woven strongly through the pages of the entire book. There are schemes within schemes, hidden traitors on both sides of the conflict, and an overall sense of political madness. This book takes a great concept and executes it well. What would our nation look like if our political system was essentially displaced by one person who claimed that power for himself? What repercussions would ripple throughout the nation, and what would the inevitable uprising against that look like? These things were a delight to witness in Waller’s writing, and it presented a picture realistic enough to make me sit up and take notice.

And that, really, is what makes this book shine. The characters are great and you’ll have strong feelings about what happens with many of them. There are some outstanding ideologies given a voice throughout the book, almost to the point of preachiness at times but never to where it bogs the book down. But it is the reality that strikes home – this sort of scenario could very easily happen at some point in our country’s future – that really sets this book apart.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Far more than I ever expected to. I’m not sure why I decided to take a chance and read this book, but I am very glad I did. It might not lead me to read more books in the same genre, but I will definitely be watching for the sequel to this one. It is a book I’d very much recommend to a YA or higher audience.